Improvement in fire-plugs



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN MCCLELLAND, OF VASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN FIRE-PLUGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 44,439, dated September 27, 1864.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J onN MGOLELLAND, of the city of Washington, in the Dist-riot of Columbia,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Construction of Fire Plugs or Hydrants 5 and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which- Figure l is a side elevation of my improved hydrant; Fig. 2, a-vertical central section of the hydrant, with its feed and check valves shut and the hydrantcover closed; Fig. 3, a similar view of the hydrant when uncovered Aand with its feed and check valves open.

Fig. 4 is an obverse view of the front face plate of the discharging chamber of the hydrant, showing the nozzle of the dischargingaperture and the handle of the check-valve therein; Fig. 5, a reverse view of the same y plate, showing the position, arrangement, and

' plate of the hydrant. Fig. Sis an elevation of the operating-crank of said valve detached. Fig. 9 is a plan view of the curved guide, which holds the valve in its proper position, detached. Fig. l0 is an edge view of this guide, showing the projecting flange thereon, which is more clearly illustrated by the sectional view thereof in Fig. 11. Fig. 12 is an enlarged detached sectional view of the wastevalve of the hydrant when closed; Fig. 13, a similar view thereof when open, andFig. 14 a plan view of the feed-valve.

' Similar letters indicate like parts in each of the dra-wings.

My improved hydrant or fire-plug is constructed mainly ot' the hydrant proper, A, an inclosing-casing B, and a connecting'elbow and valve-chest C, in combination with suitable feed and check valves, to be hereinafter more fully described.

The hydrant proper, A, is united to the elbow B, which connects itrwith the main waterpipe by means of a iiange-joint secured by bolts and nuts. I tteri'ninates upwardly in an enlarged square covered distributing-chamber, S, cast in one piece therewith, but having one of its sides open, to be closed by a detachable face-plate, D. It is surrounded and inclosed by a protectingcasing, B, formed in two longitudinal sections, and furnished with a cover, E, Figs. l and 2, which opens and swings over upon a hinge-joint iny front of and below the detachable faceplate D of its distributing-chamber, so as to uncover and expose the top and three sides of said chamber, as clearly shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. The upper portion of this casin g is enlarged, so as to encompass the distributingchamber and inclose the projectin g nozzles J J. An annular flange, d d, formed upon the inner peri-phery of the enlarged portion of the casing, embraces the hydrant closely at a point just below the distributingchamber. The two seotions of the casing are fastened together around the hydrant by bolts and nuts fitting into lugs upon this interior flange, d d, and the entire case is secured in place by lugs or ears c c formed upon its lower end,so as to be held by two or more of the nuts a a, which clamp together the hydrant A and its elbow C, as shown in Figs. l and 2.

The flow of water through the hydrant is regulated by means of the feed-valve F, which moves in the upper end of the elbow, and is held or at pleasure drawn up against the lower end of the hydrant by means of the valve-rod Gr, extending up through the hydrant and into its distributingchamber S.

An interiorly-screw-threaded sleeve, H, isV` screwed down a short distance upon the upper end of the rod G, and there lirmly secured by a transverse rivet, as seen in Figs. 2 and 3. The remainder of the sleeve H projects above the end of the rod G, and serves as a socket to receive the end of the screw K, passing down through the center of the top plate of the distributing-chamber S, a boss, b, being castupon the inner side of the top plate at this point to receive a brass collar, e, in which the shank of the screw K turns freely and loosely. This collar eis screwed into the top plate. The threads of the screw K terminate upwardly just below a narrow ange, f, which encircles the shank of the screw, as seen in Figs. 2 and 3. Between the lower end of the collar e and the flangef a suitable packing is placed to prevent leakage at this point. Upon the upper end of the screw-shank a hand-wheel, M, is keyed and secured by a nut. By turning the hand-wheel M the screw K, passing through the top ofthe chamber Si, and working into the threaded socket H upon the upper end ot' the valve-rod G, will draw up or let down this rod and its attached feed-valve F, and cause said valve to cover or uncover the lower end of the hydrant, as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings. An aperture, k, is drilled in the sleeve or screw-socket H just above the end ofthe valve-rod G, to permit the outflow of the water which may work its way down the threads.

The square distributing-chamber S of the hydrant is provided with three dischargingapertures formed, respectivelygin the det-achable face plate D upon the frontof the hydrant and in the two adjoining sides of the chamber.

'Each of these discharging-apertures is litted with a suitable nozzle, J, so formed as that hose or other discharging-pipes may be readily attached thereto. The inner opening of each nozzle is closed by a check-valve, L, at the end of the arm g, the end of the arm being so pivoted to the lower portion of the plate as to swing or slide over said nozzle in an arc having the pivot as its center. The valve is held closely against the inner endof thenozzle J and madeto form a water tightjoint therewith, by means of a guiding-arc, O, Figs. 5, 6, and 9, riveted to the plate, so asfthat a narrow flange projecting Jfrom its upper edge shall fit accurately in a receiving-groove cut in the edge of the valve, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. As the valve swings upon its pivot i, its upper edge slides along upon the flange of theguiding-arc, and is supported and held thereby in a proper position.

The valve is opened and closed" by means of a crank, N, whose shaft or axis fh extends outwardly through an aperture formed-in this face or side of the chamber at a point in aline pnssin g through the centers of the nozzleai erture andthe pivot-pin t' ofthe valve. 'lhus when the valve is closed the arm l ofthe crank lies under its extended arm g, Vbetween the inner face of said extended arm andthe wall or side of the chamber. The pinm at the end of the crank projects through a curved slot cut in the oiset n, formed upon the valve-arm upon its upper side, as illustrated in the drawings. The. crank-pin mis so placed relatively to this slot in the valve-arm g as that when the arm ofthe crank coincides in its direction with a line drawn through the pivot of the valve L and the center of the nozzle J, it will be in the upper end of the slot, the Valve being half open. lf, now, the arm ofthe crank turn to one side or the other, it will push and swing the valve in that direction, but the lower end ofthe slot is so notched as that when Vthe valve is either open or closed the crank-pin m will drop into this notch, and be thus brought to bear upon the valve in a radial direction against its pivot t', producing a complete lock and so arresting its further movement. It will be noticed that when the pin thus drops into this notch in the slot it is so embraced thereby as that pressure upon the valve alone will not move it; hence when the valve is thrown open, it is held by the crank-pin m in such a manner as that the upward flow and pressure of the water thereon, however great, cannot close it. Av simple movement ot' the crank in the proper direction will, however, unlock the valve by raising the pin m out ot' the notch or recess, and then, by causing it to bear against the opposite side of thc slot above this recess, will force and carry the valve around and over the nozzle J until the crank-pin m, makin gl a partial revolution, drops down again into the notch just as the valve has completely closed the discharging-aperture, as will be seen by reference to Figs: 5 and 6.

The .crank N is operated by means of a lever or handle, P, which embraces -tlie outwardlyprojecting end of the axis li of the crank. A countersink is formed upon the outer face ot' the plate around the projecting end of the axis or shaft h ot' the crank. This countersink embraces an annular projection, r, formed upon the handle P of the crank, the inner face ot' this projection being beveled, so as to form, in connection with the bottoln ot'thecountersink, a packing groove or recess, which, when filled with suitable packing, renders thejoint water-tight, and thus prevents leakage at this point. The handle P is keyed upon the axis of the crank and secured by a nut, q, as shown in Fig. 7, or by any other equivalent device.

The feed-valve F, which closes the lower end of the hydrant A, is formed mainly of two circular sections, s and t. v The lower section, s, is formed with its lower face centrally convex and its upper side concave, as seen in the drawings, Figs.- 2 and 3, and is larger in Adiameter than lthe upper section, t, which is made fiat and uniform. The upper edge of the section s, projecting beyond the edge of the section t, is beveled, so as to tit accurately against the valve-scat w upon the lower end of the hydrant, and is faced with brass. A ring ot' lead is placed between the two sections of the valve. The brass facing of the valve extends back toward the center, so as to be clamped beween the upper and lower sections thereof under the ring ot' lead. The valve-rod G passes centrally through the two sections s and t of the valve, and so secures and unites them as that they form one entire valve.

The valve F is kept from turning, and is guided in its movements by wings w w upon its lower section, s, which slide between ribs or ways y y.

The lower end of the hydrant-pipe is smaller in diameter than the upper end of the elbow C, in which the feed-valve F operates.

The part projecting over is faced with a ring or washer, w, of india-rubber or its equivalent, so as to make the seat of the valve F water-tight. The india-rubber washer w,

forming the valve-seat at the lower cndot1 the hydrant A, extends under so much of the flange upon this lower extremity ot the hydrant as projects over the valve-chamber in the elbow, and is there covered and held in place bya ring of brass, against which the wings of the valve rest when the valve is closed.

I place a simple waste-valve, Figs. 12 and 18, in the lower end ofthe hydrant, to be operated automatically by the feed'valve F. This waste-valve consists of a tube, T, having a valve-rod, U, fitting closely therein. The upper end of the tube is enlarged interiorly to contain a spiral spring, V, and the upper end of lthe valverod U is made with a head, u, which fits accurately in the enlarged end of the tube T, preventing the rod from dropping down through the same. The spiral spring V is so confined in the upper end oi the tube T as to press upon the head of the rod U and bear it down. A transverse aperture, W, is made through the tube, a short distance above its lower end and at right angles to its length. An annular semicircular recess, whose diam cter is equal to that of the transverse aperture W, is cut entirely around the valve-rod U at a point which, when the power of the spring upon the head of the rod is not overcome, will be entirely below the transverse aperture in the tube. The valve-rod U projects such a distance below the end ot' the tube T as that the rod may be pushed up from be low un til the groove cut thereon shall coincide with the transverse aperture W in the tube. Hence, when the rod is pressed down by the spring V, the' transverse aperture Wis closed, as seen in Figs. 3 and 12; but when the resistance ofthe spring is overcome the opening through the same becomes complete, Figs. 2 and 13. This waste-valve is attached to the inner surface of the hydrant at such a point above the feedvalve F as that, when the feed-valve is closed, its upper surface will push up the end ofthe rod of the waste-valvejust far enough to open the transverse aperture in the manner described. The offset Y of the waste-valve, vthrough which the transverse aperture W is prolonged, is made to project through the side of the hydrant A, as represented in Fig. 2, and a discharging-vent is thus left, through which all Water standing in the hydrant may ow out. When the feedvalve is opened to admit a liow of water through the hydrant, the rod U of the wastevalve is pressed down by its spiral spring V,

thereby closin g the aperture, as shown in Fig. 3.

My improved casing B obviates the necessity of caps upon the nozzles J J, they being inclosed and protected by the cover E of the casing, as seen in Figs. l and 2.

Should .any stones or other obstructions too large to pass through the discharging-nozzles pass the feed-valve and enter the body of the hydrant, they may be readily removed therefrom by taking off the detachable faceplate I), and allowing the water to iiow unchecked through the opening thus formed.

The distributing-chamber S may be of any ydesired form and furnished with more or less dischargingapertures.

The cover may be secured, when closed, by any suitable locking device.

Having thus fully described my improved hydrant or fire-plug, what I claim therein as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. The combination and arrangement of thc inclosing-casing with the sides and top of a hydrant whereby the nozzle or nozzles of the hydrant shall be covered and protected when the hydrant is not in use, substantially in the manner herein set forth.

2. Providing each discharging-aperture ot' a fire-plug with an independent check-valve, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.

3. The face-plate I), forming one side of the distributing-chamber S, arranged and combined with the said distributing-chamber, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.

4. The combination of the curved ways or guides O 0 with the. edges of the check-valves L L, when the said ways or guides O O are provided with anges, which are received in grooves formedin the upper edge of the valves L, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.

5. The arrangement and combination o the handles I with the valve-cranks N and the sides ot" the distributing-chamber S of my improved hydrant, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.

In Witness of this specication of my improved hydrant or tire-plug signed by Ine this 31st day of August, 1864.

JOHN MCCLELLAND.

DAVID A. BURR, H. KING. 

